The US State Department says efforts by private citizens to broker the release of Americans detained in Russia could complicate the government's efforts to bring US citizens home.
The comments from spokesman Ned Price came in response to questions about reports that former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who runs a center specializing in prisoner and hostage release negotiations, traveled to Russia this week.
Price indicated that any outside effort to secure the release of Americans detained abroad would need to be fully coordinated with the department and that such efforts risk complicating matters.
"We want to make sure that all external efforts are fully and transparently coordinated with us," Price said. "In this case, we believe that any effort that goes outside that officially designated channel has the potential to complicate what is already an extremely complicated challenge that we face."
Richardson held meetings in Russia this Sunday, according to a source familiar with the matter cited by Reuters. It is said to be working to free Women's National Basketball Association (VNBA) star Britney Greiner and former US Marine Paul Whelan.
Price said Richardson's trip was not coordinated with the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. The Kremlin has not commented on Richardson's trip. "There were no meetings in the Kremlin," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call. "I have nothing to say to you on this subject".
A spokesman for Richardson said he was unable to comment. The Richardson Center also said it could not comment on the case, according to Reuters.
On August 4, Greiner was sentenced to nine years in a Russian prison on drug-trafficking charges. In 2020, Vilan was sentenced to 16 years in prison after being convicted of espionage.
The United States said in August that it had made a "significant offer" to secure the release of the two Americans. Washington has offered to trade Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout for Greiner and Villan, sources familiar with the situation told Reuters.
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